Wild Mushrooms Timbale
8 servings
Notes:
The wild mushrooms in this dish can be any edible wild mushrooms you can find, either in the market, or in the field. If you've found them in the field, this can be a wonderful addition to a harvest feast, highlighting a menu of three or four dishes to show off your day's labor.
For the sauce:
Soak the porcini mushrooms in about one cup of warm water for two or three hours. Take the mushrooms out of the water and carefully pick through them to remove all the dirt and grit. Roughly chop them and set aside. Strain the mushroom water through cheesecloth or a very fine strainer, reserving 1/2 cup.
Wash the wild mushrooms in plenty of water to remove all traces of leaves and dirt. Roughly chop them and set aside with the porcinis.
Pick the leaves from the tough parts of the thyme stems; set aside. Roughly cut the parsley into 8 or 10 pieces, stems and all, and set aside with the thyme.
Combine the garlic, onion and herbs in a large heavy pot with the olive oil. Stir while cooking over moderate heat until the onion becomes transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped mushrooms to the pot with the white wine and gently cook them for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until they have given up their liquid and it has reduced until almost dry. Add the stock and the tomato paste. Continue cooking and stirring for another 10 minutes or so until the liquid has reduced by half.
While the mushrooms are cooking, melt the butter in a small heavy-bottomed pan. Add the flour and stir over medium heat until the flour has turned light brown and it produces a fragrant, nutty aroma. Pour in the reserved mushroom liquid and gently simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning. The resulting veloute should be heavy and thick. Set aside until ready to use.
When the stock has reduced over the mushrooms sufficiently, add the reserved mushroom veloute and continue to cook and stir for about 10 minutes more. Set the mixture aside to cool, then puree in a food processor.
To cook the timbales:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heavily butter the sides and bottom of eight 4-ounce ovenproof molds. Put the eggs and grated lemon zest into a bowl and beat with a whip until the eggs are well mixed. Add two cups of the mushroom puree, season with salt and pepper, and mix thoroughly. Fill the molds with the mushroom mixture to about three-quarter their height. Put the molds into a baking dish and fill with hot water up to 1/2 the depth of the molds. Cover with aluminum foil and cook in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the timbales are firm in the center and have risen slightly in the molds. Uncover the timbales and keep at room temperature until ready to serve.
To serve the timbales:
Do not wash the wild mushrooms for the sauce with water, but remove the forest refuse by scraping with a knife or rubbing it off with the corner of a clean kitchen towel; you don't want the mushrooms to absorb any more water than they already hold, and a little of the forest refuse really adds to the flavor. Slice the mushrooms into uniform bite-sized pieces.
Saute the sliced mushrooms, over medium-high heat, in 2 tablespoons of the butter with the chopped shallots, for about 5 to 10 minutes, until the mushrooms have given up their liquid and it has reduced until almost dry. Add the white wine and the chicken stock and reduce at high heat until all but 1/4 cup of liquid remains. Reduce the heat.
Cut the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter into small cubes and add to the pan along with the chopped parsley. Swirl the butter into the bubbling liquid until it has all been incorporated and a light velvety-textured sauce has formed. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Divide the mushroom fricassee between eight warm plates. Unmold the timbales and place one in the center of each plate. Sprinkle with the fresh chopped herbs, and serve at once.